Toy Box
by Hatcheter
Summary: A simple, striking discovery in Atlantis.


Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis is the property of its rightful owners.

**Toy Box**

by Hatcheter

"Elizabeth, come on, I didn't do it on purpose." John hurried after his boss as she stalked out of her office. "I was testing Atlantis' internal security systems. That's part of my job."

"Testing it on my shower?" Elizabeth snapped. "While I was in it?"

"You have a great singing voice."

"And the whole expedition knows that now, thanks to you."

"Hey, you should be glad I didn't pipe video all over the city."

Elizabeth spun around and stepped right up to Sheppard, glaring up at him dangerously. "There was video?" she hissed.

John took a step back, instinctively raising his hands to fend off an assault. "No, no. No. Audio only. The Ancients had _some _sense of privacy."

Seething, Elizabeth spun on her heel and stepped into the transporter. John darted in after her.

"Elizabeth, I swear I wasn't spying on you. I was checking out how the system monitored personnel quarters, and you were the only person in our block who was up that early. The system locked on to you before I could do anything."

"And letting the whole city listen in?" Elizabeth asked as she touched the map of Atlantis on the wall of the transporter.

John shrugged, embarrassed. "I haven't figured that part out yet."

The doors slid open and the pair stepped out into a darkened hallway.

"Okay, this isn't my fault either."

Elizabeth failed to suppress a small smile. "Relax, John. I must have hit the wrong destination."

She turned for the transporter when John stopped her. "The lights are coming on, we're still within our powered areas. Let's take a look around."

Elizabeth glanced up and down the hall. "Is that a good idea?"

"Sure," John assured her. "We might as well, since we're here."

Elizabeth pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Okay, but let's be quick."

"Simple recon," John promised. "Let's go…this way."

"Why this way?" Elizabeth asked as they started down the hall.

"Because."

"Oh. I see."

They walked in silence for several minutes, peeking into open doors as they passed. All the rooms were personnel quarters, similar to the ones the team had occupied in the central towers. Elizabeth was about to insist that they head back to the transporter when another open door caught her attention.

She stepped in and looked at the room in wonder. The walls were painted in soft pastels, more colorful than the rest of the city, and decorated with images of fantastic creatures never imagined by the people of Earth.

"Elizabeth?" John's voice floated in from the hall.

"In here," she called, and the major appeared at her side a moment later.

"What is this?"

"I think…I think this is a nursery," she said, moving further into the room.

"Ancient day care?"

Elizabeth nodded, walking through a side door. The room inside was much smaller, holding four tiny beds. She walked to one of them, brushing her hand across the edge. A small display over the bed activated, showing a pattern of swirling color set to soft music.

"Hey Elizabeth," John called from the main room. "Check this out."

She found him kneeling on the floor, digging through a large box. "These must be Ancient children's toys."

He pulled out a red ball, lifting it up to inspect it. The ball separated into a dozen irregularly shaped pieces. They rose out of his hand, floating in the air in front of him.

"I suddenly feel I had a very deprived childhood," John remarked, reaching out and touching two of the pieces. They floated toward each other, meeting and merging together.

Elizabeth knelt down next to John, watching in fascination as the parts of the puzzle came together under his hands. "Maybe in another million years our children will have toys like this."

John pushed the last piece into place, and the ball floated back down into his hand. He turned it over, searching for cracks or seams in the surface and finding none.

"We should head back," Elizabeth said, rising to her feet.

"Don't you want to see what else is here?" John asked, pocketing the ball.

Elizabeth shook her head. "It seems so…sad here."

"Sad?"

"This was where countless generations of Ancient children grew and played. It's been empty for ten thousand years." She shrugged. "It's too empty, lonely."

John nodded. "I can understand that. For me, though, it gives some hope."

"Hope?" Elizabeth asked, puzzled.

He nodded. "If we're stuck in this galaxy for a long time, we have what we'll need to build an almost normal life here."

"How practical of you, Major."

"Yeah, well, you know me."

Elizabeth snorted and walked out of the room. John hurried out after her.

"And what was that you said about _our_ children?"

"What?" Elizabeth flushed. "I meant the children of Earth."

John smirked. "Uh huh. Sure."

"I did," Elizabeth insisted, stepping into the transporter.

"So if we _are_ stuck here indefinitely?" John smirked, pressing the control panel to send them back to the central tower.

"Major, you should worry less about your future prospects, and more about your punishment for your little stunt this morning."

"What? Elizabeth, come on," John pleaded, hurrying out of the transporter after her. "I swear it was an accident."

* * *

Author's notes: Written for bethsheppard's challenge on the johnelizabeth Live Journal group. It's the first plot bunny I've dealt with in over a month, so I'm glad I got it done. 


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